Dutch Political Parties Inch Forward in Talks on New Government

March 12, 2024 Hour: 12:05 pm

Talks about a new Dutch government have moved ahead slowly with no clear progress as leaders of the four major parties met on Monday for the first time to draw conclusions in the second round of negotiations.

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The second round of negotiations between far-right populist Party for Freedom (PVV), center-right party New Social Contract (NSC), the rightist People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the farmers movement BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB) started on Feb. 14 with the appointment of new “scout” Kim Putters, who was tasked with investigating the most viable governing form.

The NSC had left the talks just before the end of the first round of negotiations under the previous coalition negotiator, Ronald Plasterk, declaring it would not join a majority government, but might support a minority or extra-parliamentary cabinet.

The far-right PVV won the general elections in the Netherlands on Nov. 22, 2023 by a landslide and has started negotiations on forming a center-right-wing majority government with the NSC, the VVD and the BBB. Since the start of the negotiations, the NSC showed major doubts about cooperation with the PVV, especially due to its anti-Islam views.

Chega’s win is the latest in the far-right takeover of Europe, following the Netherlands and expected right wing extremist gains in Austria & Germany this year. But the mainstream is more focused on fictitious external threats than on the enemy to humanity within Europe. pic.twitter.com/5YpGxKqwXs

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The atmosphere during the negotiations has never been warm, but under Putters, the relations seemed to have bettered in the second round. The four party leaders first met altogether with the new explorer Putters on Monday in the city of Hilversum in North Holland province.

Last week, it became clear that the parties are willing to further negotiate cooperation. The form of the new government is not yet clear, but the chance of an extra-parliamentary government increased.

An extra-parliamentary cabinet is not based on a parliamentary majority and does not have a detailed coalition agreement, but all parties could deliver ministers to such a government.

The final report on the second round of negotiations led by Putters is expected by the end of this week after the parties draw a common conclusion. After this, the four parties might continue to negotiate with each other about the exact details of such an extra-parliamentary cabinet.

VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz last week said that she was “hopeful to have a new government before the summer.” NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt said on Monday after his arrival in Hilversum that he thinks it is “good that the party leaders look each other in the eye again.”

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